Breaking Ground for Advanced Care

On Wednesday, May
15, Penn Medicine and Penn Presbyterian Medical Center (PPMC) officially broke
ground on the new Advanced Care Hospital Pavilion. With the completion of the
expansion project – slated for January 2015 – PPMC will have the infrastructure
and programmatic support needed to become Penn Medicine’s Level-I Regional
Resource Trauma Center. Upon completion, the Trauma Center at Penn Medicine
will transfer from its current base of operations at the Hospital of the University
of Pennsylvania (HUP) to Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.

The new 178,000
square foot Advanced Care Hospital Pavilion will feature overall upgrades and enhanced
capacity for emergency, surgical, trauma and critical care patients at PPMC. In
addition to an added emergency bay and operating room capacity, a new
state-of-the art trauma resuscitation area will be dedicated to the evaluation
and stabilization of critically injured patients.

“We all find it a
very exciting time for Penn Presbyterian,” said Harvey Waxman, MD, chief
of Cardiology, PPMC, in a special video presented at the ceremony. “And we believe
that it will open a new era in the history of Penn Presbyterian Medical Center.”

Along with Penn
Medicine faculty, staff and leadership, two former Penn Medicine trauma
patients were also in attendance at the ceremony. James Heany and Maribeth
Marburger’s stories, told briefly by Ralph Muller, CEO of UPHS, and J. Larry
Jameson, MD, PhD, Executive Vice President of the University for the Health
System and Dean of the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of
Pennsylvania, were met with applause from the crowd.

“It has been a long
road to recovery and rehabilitation and one that she marked in 2012, by
participating in the Broad Street Run,” Dr. Jameson said of Ms. Marburger.
“Penn Medicine is very happy to have been a critical partner in her road to recovery
and we are very happy to have her here with us today to share in this event!”

In addition to Dr.
Jameson and Mr. Muller, the event also featured remarks from Michele Volpe,
CEO, PPMC and The Honorable Jannie L. Blackwell, Philadelphia City
Councilwoman, both of whom commended the efforts of PPMC faculty and staff on
their hard work, positive attitude and assistance throughout the early stages
of the project.

“You have all
demonstrated time and time again a commitment to innovation, improvement, and
superior patient care,” said Volpe. “It is because of this level of excellence
that we can move forward with confidence, knowing that Penn Presbyterian, in
partnership with our colleagues across Penn Medicine, will step up to the
challenges ahead and meet them with conviction.”

Construction Update: In addition to the Pavilion groundbreaking, the oxygen farm moved on May
18, and work on the loading dock will be complete July 16. The movement of the
oxygen farm and the loading dock will pave the way for the foundation and
excavation of the Pavilion footprint and ED expansion.

Click here to view the full video that was presented at the ceremonial
groundbreaking.

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